Gathering and inserting machine



July 4, 1933. MC 1,916,847 I GATHERING AND INSERTING MACHINE Filed June 18, 1926 12 Sheets-Sheet l u I 4 2 jH/ og.i. 5 .131 115 H4- -a I 109 I MIVVIVTOIT July 4, 1933. F. M CARTHY GATHERING AND INSERTING MACHINE 1'2 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 18 1926 INVENTOR ATTORNEY mmN G WC Q9, Qm

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GATHERING AND INSERTING MACHINE Filed June 18, 1926 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 Q1 Q2 l ail CE 2 W Q! W711. w: T mm mm mmi h ynl hnn mu L m9 W ,1

July 4, 1933. F. M CARTHY GATHERING AND INSERTING MACHINE 12 Sheets -Sheet 9 Filed June 18, 1926 v R M m m 4 may *2 w M lfu Q 7 mm mm mm II no mm ['1 in QM 0moo @QN 0+ mw Wu Qb Q Hi mm. mm m .39 msw h Nb I H l| mu x nu \VN- n E Q: ms. NR v N0 EN *M mm w s mb MN QR m QwN Q 3 A TTORN Y GATHERING AND INSERTING MACHINE Filed June 18, 1925 12 Sheets-Sheet 10 l E/VTOR y 1933- F. MCCARTHY I 1,916,847

GATHERING AND INSERTING MACHINE Filed June 18. 1926 12 Sheets-Sheet ll lli F. M CARTHY 1,916,847

GATHERING AND INSERTING MACHINE Filed June 18. 1926 12 Sheets$heet 12 July 4, 1933 Patented July 4, 1 933 UNITED STATES PATENT orrica v g I FLORENCE MCCARTHY,'OF NEW YORK, 11 Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 1'0 MCCARTHY BUSINESS MACHINES CO., 1110-, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 01' nmawnna GATHERING ANDIN SERTIN G MACHINE Application filed lune 18, 1926. Serial No. 116,786.

The invention comprises an automatic ma-' chine to gather enclosures from any number of supplies or magazines, and to insert the collections thus formed into envelopes. Means may alsobe provided for sealing the envelopes. The invention resides in the organization, and in certain parts and subcombinations, some of which may be used without others, and in various improvements in the arts to which the invention relates. The objects are to provide mechanism capable of performing this classor classes of operations effectively, reliably and rapidly, and within a small space.

l The machine of this invention comprises a novel combmation of part and timed mechanisms including a translational gatherer constructed andarranged to gather successive collections of enclosures delivered by feeding devices from suitable magazines, andmeans for presenting the envelopes successively for loading, together with positive means for inserting each collection into an envelope. More specifically, the organization is such that the enclosures are delivered simultaneously at different points, the nature of the gatherer being such as to advance the delivered enclosures along agathering lane so that successive collections are formed as the result of repeated simultaneous deliveries :of enclosures, the completed collect-ions being carried-to a loading station, where' the positive meansope'rates to load each collection into the open envelope.

In the preferred embodiment, the insert-- ing means acts in, line with the gathering mechanism, with which it maybe connected, so that the successive collections are inserted into the envelopesby further movement in the direction of gathering, and the envelopes, of which there is a supply adjacent one end of-the line of enclosure magazines, are preferably translated endwise, in a path at right angles to the path of gathering, to and from the loading position.

Numerous other features of the inviention will'be readily understood from the body of the specification and will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings formingv part hereof:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, a part of the machine of indefinite extent being broken out;

ig. 2 is a View which may be termed a I do not necessarily ing at the opposite end of the machine; double gripper ig,.12 is an elevation of a mechanism;

Fig. 13 is a plan view of this mechanism; Fig. 14 is a longitudinal section taken on' the line 14-14 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a cross-section taken on the line 15-15 of Fig. 12; and

Figs. 16 and 17 are schematic views illustrative of the operation of gathering and inserting.

Figs. 1 to 7, 10 and 11 show parts in corresponding positions. Figs. 8 and 9 show parts'at a different point in the operation; Envelopes and enclosures are indicated in certain positions in some of the views.

The machine has a table-like frame 2, the top of which presents a substantially flat deck. A row 'of upright enclosure magazines 3 are. ranged on what may be termed the rear part of the frame; and extending across in front of them there is a gatherer or collector 4. There may be any number of enclosure magazines from two up, though the machine can, of course, be used or operated for inserting single enclosures, from a tional, so that enclosure ma azines with extensions of the gatherer can e added.

The enclosure ma azines face the gatherer, having throats 5 in Eront, at the bottom, from which the enclosures are delivered one at a time to the gatherer.

The envelope magazine 6 is best disposed at one end of the row of enclosure magazines, facing outwardly at right angles to the direction in which the enclosure magazines face. The throatof this'magazine, marked 7, faces onto the deck 8.

The magazines are more particularly of a kind to hold the sheet articles in stacks, and to feed from the bottoms of the stacks; but

cific form of the elements of the machine.

limit myself to the spa ion . sures will The enclosures consist more usually of sheets folded into oblong form, and the enclosure magazines are of enerally oblong area and tions to the 'gatherer and by the gatherer are translated in a direction transverse to their length. By a further movement in the same direction as that in which they were athered the collections are positively inserte into the envelopes.

The envelos are held in the envelope magazine wit their flapsfup and are preferably drawn out in a direction transverse to their flaps and with their bottom edges .in advance, beneath a flap ener or raiser 9 located directly in front 0. the magazine, by which the flaps of the envelopes are opened or partially opened. This flap raiser will be described more particularly ater on. The successive envelopes are then translated endwise, in a direction at right angles to that in which they are withdrawn from the'magazine, and in a direction at right angles, also, to the direction in which the enclosures are translated by the gatherer 4 to form the successive collections which are inserted into the envelopes. Each envelope is thus brought to a loading station opposite the end of the gatherer, and its flap having been turned further or completely open on the we by a guide 10, and being held open and out of the way, it 'auses to receive its load of enclosures, whic are ushed into it off a loading platform 11. e med side of the flap of the envelope may moistened while the envelope is at the loading station, and when the envelope has been filled, it is moved endwise away from the loading station in the same direction as before. It may pass a guide 12 which turns its flap back to or toward closed position, and thence may pass to a stacker 13, where it is introduced at or beneath the bottom of the stack, there to be lifted or pressed up against the bottom of the stack for sealing.

The various operations are performed in timed relation y arts and mechanisms which will be descri in detail, the whole being interconnected and driven by proper gearing and motions from a common source The machine, as preferably emgfxfiower.

'ed, rovides for visibility and accessibility. e enclosures are delivered to and gathered upon an upwardly facing-support, which is most advantageously a stationary table 14. The envelopes likewise lie flat or horizontal throughout their course from the envelope magazine, to the loading and flapmoistening position, and thence to the stacker.

The organization in which the envelope is caused to move in a right an larcourse, being delivered from the staci in adirection transverse to its flap and bottom edge, and

then moved endwise to the loading station, is advantageous and is preferred since it contributes to making the machine very economical of floor space, and also because the flap is opened in the most effective manner. However, I do not exclude arrangements in \which the envelopes might be moved in other courses. Thus, they might be moved to the loading station in a single direction, which would permit of some simplification in mechanism, though such an arran ement would scarcely as satisfactory on the whole.

Each enclosure magazine has four upright, or substantially upright corner angles 15, 16, 17 and 18, which are relatively ad ustable to vary both the width and the length of the .stack area which they define. The two rear uprights 15 and 16 are carried by a back piece 19, which is guidedon rods20 projecting forward from the frame 2 and is shiftable by a rotatable screw rod 21 which passes to the front of the machine. Handles 22 outside the front of the machine, below the gatherer,

areaffixed to the forward ends of these screw rods and enable the enclosure magazines to be adjusted for difierent lengths, of enclosure, in a convenient manner.

One rear corner member, 15, of each enclosure magazine is fiked on the back-piece, or movable support, 19, while the other rear member 16 is movable laterally toward and from the member 15 on transverse guide rods 23 carried by the back-piece. In like manner, the forward corner member 18 which is directly in front of the rear corner member 16, is laterall adjustable on a guide rod 24 on the fixed nesting the members 16 and 18 and having sliding engagement with the latter member alines these members and keeps the forward member 18 from tilting on its guiding and supporting rod 24.

The rear members15 and 16 of each enclosure magazine carry back guides 15' for the rear edges of the articles in the stack. These guides might be provided by simply making the backs of the members 15 and 16 of the shape of the guides, but for convenience of manufacture it is more convenient to use angle pieces and to secure properly bent strap pieces in them to form the back guides. These guides extend obliquely downward, inclinin'g forward at an acute angle to the vertical so as to cause the sheet articles to work forward in the magazine as the stack settles downward to the bottom. This insures that the forward edge-of the bottom article will always be close to the throat 5, and is also of advantage in connection with an ramework. A rod 25 conor bottom support 26 causes the articles bent to provide an upper,

'- bodiment, the feeding drawings. This that its inner side inclines downwardly and upward and forward inclination in the floor of the magazine, which in the stack to tilt somewhat downward and rearward, so as to-keep the forward end of the bottom article more or less free of the superincumbent weight.

The floor 26 is suitably attached to the fixed frameof the machine, and at its forward end is extended for a short distance outwardly romthe base of the magazine and slightly bent to form a substantially horizontal guide lip adjacent the bite of upper and lower feed rollers 27, 28.

It is not necessary that the floor extend all the way to the back-of the enclosure magazine. Rear su port is provided for the bottom of the stac such support being conveniently arranged by bending the lower ends of the back guides forwardly.

The throat 5 is defined by the floor 26 and a vertically adjustable stri er 29. There is an independently adjusta bl most advantageously of a plate extending across the lower front of the magazine and forwardly presented portion 30 having vertical adjustment slots 31 therein, and a lower or which bears the reference number 29 in the part is bent or curved, so

forwardly at an acute angle to the vertical,

its terminal lip 32 being curved more abruptly forward.

Each of these strippers is adjustably suported on a cross-bar 33, or other suitable xed support, by means of accessible screws 34, whlch'pass through the slots 31 into the bar. The throat can thus be readily 'set for any thickness of sheet article which is to be fed from the particular magazine. This is done liyjoosening the screws 34 so that the stripper is free to settle by its own weight,

placing one of the articles in the throat so that the stripper rests on it, and then tighteningthe screws to preserve this spacing.

Thebottom article is advanced through the throat of each enclosure magazine by a feeding device 35 disposed beneath the forward part of the magazine. In the preferred emdevices of the several magazines are mounted on a rotary shaft 36 which is suitably j ournaled in the fixed frame, extending transversely beneath all the magazines. This shaft may naturally be made of connected sections, a propriate to the sectional construction of this part of the machine. Each of these feeding devices comprises a line of freely projecting, rather thin, flexible resilient rubber fingers 37. The nature of the feeding element is in itself important, though the feeding means as a whole and in its other aspects is not necessarilyllimlted thereto.

-push the article lines in Fig. 5, but when the article, having and rapidly v e stripper for each of the enclosure magazines, consisting stri er art pp p hold which is very The fingers 37 are mounted in abar 38 carried by short arms 39, at 40 to other short arms shaft 36. Thus,

which are pivoted 41 carried by the to the fingers and eccentric to the main axis of rotation, this or other equivalent manner 6f mounting being ment is carrie the fi such that, as the feeding eleupward and forward to feed, nger bar is supported by the carrier to to be fed, as shown in dotted been thus advanced, is seized drawn forward as will be presently ClQSCIibQt the frictional feeding element is freetobe snatched forward by the pull of the accelerated article, and to dro so as not to create trouble and cause waste 0 power by resisting the withdrawal. Substantially the same action may be obtained by specifically differentthough enerally similar means.

The oors 26 are slotted at 41' to permit the fin ers 37 to work through them against the un e livered.

rearward in contact with the article under The forwardly moving fingers flex' r side of the bottom article to be dethe weight of the stack, pressing resiliently against the article, and securinga frictional efiective for feeding the article through the throat.

At a short distance behindthe throat the floor 26 is or ridge of rounded or inclined humps 42.

fThis elevation deflects or'inclinesthe .for-

of the article to dive a little to pass through the throat. The article next above is caused to abut the stripper somewhat higher up, and the result is to insure that this next to bottom article will be held back inthe magazine and that two articles will not be fedout at the same time.

Directly after the forward end of the article being fed emerges from the magazine it enters the bite of the rollers 27, 28. These rollers are driven at a comparatively high speed ratio by arrangementswhich willibe described, sothat they drive the article forward at considerably higher speed than it was started out of the magazine by the device 35. In so doing, they throw the frictional feed element or elements 37 forward and through the pull of the article, these elements being free to move in this manner relatively to their driven carrier, as described.

The enclosure magazines, as has been stated, "are so designed, that the forward portions of the bottom articles are fairly free of the weight of the stack. For still greater effectiveness a moving device 43 is provided for positively lifting andsupporting the weight in the forward part of the bulk of the provided with a transverse row downward fronts of the stacks, as seen-in full lines in Fig. 5, to positions in which they extend downward clear of the stack, so as to permit the forward parts'of the articles, which it lifted on the upstroke, to descend. The intermediate part of the stripper 29 is appropriately cut out to'permit the movement of this device.

The lifter 43 is operated in timed relation to the feeder 35 so as to lift the forward part of the bulk of the stack at the time when the feeder 35 operates to advance the bottom article through the throat, and to move out of the-way so as to let the stack settle after the article thus advanced has been seized and forwarded by the rollers 27, 28.

The upperrollers 27 of the several magazines are on a rotary, driven shaft 45, which like the other shafts in this part of the machine may be understood to be sectional. The

lower, rollers are idle and are yieldingly carrized by pivoted arms 46 acted upon by springs 4 The means for driving the parts which have been described in the proper time and ratio will now be described. A driving motor 48 is shown in Fig. 6. A belt 49 passes from a pulley 50 on the shaft of the motor to a pulley 51 on a shaft 52 (Fig. pinion 53 on this shaft meshes a gear 54 on a shaft 55, which shaft bears a pinion 56 meshing a gear 57 on a shaft 58. The gear 57 meshes another gear 59 on a shaft 60, and

a the gear 59 meshes a gear 61 on the shaft 36 of the rotary feeding devices beneath the magazines.

he shaft 36 bears a large gear-wheel 62, which meshes a small pinion 63 on the shaft carrying the feed rollers 27. A cam or eccentric 64 on the shaft 36 acts upon a roller 65 carried by a swinging arm 66, which is connected by a link 67 with a crank 68 on the end of the rock-shaft 44 of the liftmembers 262 and 264' ers 43. A-spring 69 connected to the arm 66holds the roller 65 against the cam and moves the lifter in the lowering or retreating directions y The envelope magazine has four upright corner angles 262, 263, 264, 265, the rear members being carried by a piece 266 which is adjustable fore and aft by a screw rod 267 having a handle 268 at the front or outer side of this part of the machineframe. The

are adjustable lateral- 1y toward and from the members 263 and 265 in a manner which has been described in connection with the enclosure magazines.

of the strip The throat? of this magazine is defined between a floor 269 and a stripper-'70, the back er inclining or curving downwardly and orwardly to the to of the throat. The stripper may be adjuste up or down similarly to the strippers of the enclosure magazines, first loosening and afterwards tightening screws 71.

The floor 269 slopes downward and rearward from the throat, as in the case of the enclosure magazines the rear stack supports 7 2 being also proper y placed, so that the envelopes lie at an 1nclination, tilted somewhat upwardly and forwardly. Rear guides 73 extend downward at the back of the magazine, inclining forward somewhat from the vertical, fora purpose similar to that described in connection with the enclosure magazines.

The floor has a ridge or line of rounded or sloping elevations 74 behind the mouth 7, so as to deflect the envelope-or envelo es at the bottom of the stack upward to stri e the inclined back of the stripper 70, causing the end of the bottom envelope to duck under in order to pass out, while the next envelope is reliably held-back.

A support is provided to keep the weight in the bulk of the forward part of the stack off the moderate depth of envelopes in the lower part of the magazine, from which feed ing takes place. This support could be a mechanically operated lifter such, for example, as the lifter 43 of the enclosure magazines,

but a stationary support has been found sufiicient. Such a support, which also permits descent past it of envelopes in the upper part of the stack as the result of envelopes bein withdrawn at the bottom, may consist 0% downwardly and rearwardly inclined pieces .75 fixed in the front corner members 264, 265

of the magazine. This device serves to support the forward part of the main part of the stack clear of the forward part of the envelopes beneath. say, the flap edge, of the envelope next above this separation, rests upon the envelopes in the bottom of the magazine, so that, as the lower part of the stack settles, the rear edge of the envelope which is caught up at its forward edge settles also, enabling 1ts forward edge to escape the support or catch 75 and drop.

The floor 269 is sage of rubber feeding fingers 76 similar to the flexible feeding fingers 37 of the enclosure magazines. Because of the stiifer nature of the envelopes the fingers 76 may be somewhat shorter or stubbier than the fingers 37. The

fingers 76 are mounted in a bar 77, which may be connected to a rotary shaft 78 by a construction similar to that described in connection with the enclosure magazines. -However, there is not the same importance in enabling the frictional feeding elementfor the envelopes to escape forward, or forward and The rear edge, that is to slotted to permit the pas-' downward, relatively to its carrier, when the advancing envelope is seized and carried out of the magazine. Consequently, the screw 79 seen in Fig. 9 may re resent either a pivotal joint, like the pivot 40 ereinbefore described,

or a fixed connection.

The rotary feeder shaft 7 8 is driven from the shaft 60 previously referred to, through bevel gears 80. The shaft 78 alsohas other instrumentalities connected with it, as will ap ear.

irectly in front of and over the'inouth of the envelope ma azine is a fia -open er or raiser 9, preferab ywonsisting o a horizontally extending blade carried by a rock-shaft sage of the forward (bottom) edge of the envelope beneath it, and thereupon to press or move close to the back of the moving envelope so as to be sure to pick up the flap.

This flap-opener is operated by a cam 84 on the shaft 78 (Figs. 4 and 10), which acts upon the roller 85 of a lever 86 fulcrumed at on the frame, this lever being connected by a link 88 with 'a crank 89 on the shaft.82. The cam operates to raise the flap-opener sufliciently at the proper time, so that the body of the envelope may not be blocked b it, and to permit it to descend in time to cate the flap. The actual movement of the flapopener against the'back of the envelope is preferably effected by yielding means, by weight or by a light s ring 90v connected to a projection 91 on the s aft 82; and the extent of downward movement and the degree of pressure on the envelope back by the flapopener may be regulated by means of a stop screw 92 threaded through an arm93 carried by the flap-opener, the screw being opposite one of the brackets 83, with which it will contact when the flap-opener has descended as far as itwill be permitted.

The floor 269 of the envelope magazine is preferably continuous with the platform or deck 8 heretofore referred to as lying in front of, the envelope magazine. On this floor or platform, or rising slightly from the plane thereof, directly in front of the mouth 7, is an inclined elevation, or row of elevations, 94, presenting a shoulder or ridge just behind the lower edge of the flap-opener 9.

The relations between these parts are such' that, as the flap-opener descends, it bears upon the back of the envelope in front of the shoulder on which the envelope is resting at this point, thereby breaking the envelope so as to cause a separation between the tip of the flap and the back of the envelope, into which the flap-opener may certainly enter.

A means is positively with rawing the envelope started out from the magazine, and for releasing it at a definite point. In the illustrated embodiment this means comprises a gripper 95 mounted on a reciprocatory carriage 96 which is mechanically operated to move toward and away from the mouth of the magazine. I

The said carria e is shown as consisting of two uprights earin the numeral 96, these uprlghts passing t rough slots 97 in the deck of the machine at opposite sides of the portion of the surface 8 which is directly in front of the envelope magazine (see Fig.

3), and a connecting cross-piece 98 which extends across over said surface. The crosspiece is set at such height on the uprights of the carriage that a narrow space exists. between the cross-piece and the underlying surface. The forward part of the cross-piece constitutes the lower, fixed jaw of the gripper, its upper surface preferably being inclined somewhat downward and forward, as seen in Fig. 9. The upper jaw 99 is pivoted on the-carriage at 100, and a spring 101.

urges this jaw to raise or open it. One or both of the gripping faces ofthe jaws are serrated or roughened for gripping.

The carriage uprights 96 have rack bars 102 on their lower ends, which are 'slidable in parallel guides 103 and are meshed by a pair of gears 104 on a rock-shaft 105. This shaft bears a pinion 106 on its outer end (Fig. 10),

which is meshed by a segment gear 107 on an.

axle-108. This segment gear is oscillated in a predetermined manner by a double cam 109, 110 (Figs. 3 and 10), the members of which act upon rollers 111, 112 carried b arms 113, 114 fixed to the segment, so that t e segment and thereby the carriage are positively actuated in both directions. The cam is so designed that the ripper carriage rests stationary for a per1od at the end of its stroke away from the magazine, when it has drawn out and released an envelope, and before it starts forward to take the next envelope; and the period of rest thus provided is sufiicient to allow long as well as short envelo es to pass out of the path of the gripper 1n the endwise direction before the gripper returns.

This gripper is controlled so as to close upon the advanced bottom portion of an envelope sticking out of the envelope magazine substantially at the moment when the gripper has completed its stroke toward the magazine, or slightly after it has reversed its motion and started away from the magazine, and to release the fully withdrawn envelope at a definite, adjustable point before the gripper reaches the end of its stroke away from the magazine. The point where the envelo e is to be released is the back wall 115 of an overhanging guide 116, which is secured to the deck of the machine and exfrovided for gripping and tends at'right angles to the direction of movement of the gri per 95 and to the direction in which the gat ierer 4 moves the enclosures toward the loading station. The rear end of the back wall of this guide is opposite a portion of the throat 7 of the envelope magazine so as to constitute a stop to which the bottom edge of each envelope is carried by the grip r. An apron 117 (Figs. 1 and 6) extende from this end of the overhanging wall 118 of the guide into proximity to the envelope magazine, and upwardly inclined at its end, keeps the forward corner of the envelope from curling up and possibily striking or riding over the edge of said wall.

The guide 116 is adjustable in its position in a direction transverse to itself, in order that it may be set for envelopes of different widths, and it is therefore important to be able to determine correspondingly the point at which the gripper 95 releases the envelope.

- The adjustability of the guide 116 may be provided for by forming slots 119 in the deck of the machine, to receive bolts or screws 120- passing downward through the back of the uide, the screw devices being adapted to be oosened to permit the guide to be shifted and then tig secure. The 0 ening of the gripper 95 torelease the enve o e carried up to the guide is controlled or e ected by a trip piece or con; tact portion. 121 (Figs. 1 and 9), which is formed on, or operatively connected with, the rear end of t e guide 116, so as to partake of any adjustment of said guide, or, at least, to have its adjustment determined by the adjustment of the guide.

'The upper jaw 99 of'the gripper is movable to 'and lockable in the closed condition by a pair of cams 122 fixed to a rock-shaft 123 mounted in upper extensions of the carriage side members 96. These cams coact with stiff spring fingers 124 fixed to said upper jaw and having noses to hear u on the peripheries of the cams and to be hel non-positively in looking notches 125 therein. In this condition, which is shown in Fig. 9, the spring fingers 124- are tensione'd, so that the gripper is held gripped on the envelope under fairly powerful spring pressure. When the carriage 96 is moved to the right from the position of Fig. 9, to that of Fig. 10, an arm 126 (Fig. 1) on one end of the rock-shaft 123 strikes the stationary contact 121, thereby quickly turning the cams 122 clockwise from the position of Flg. 9, so as to release the fingers 124 from the locking notches, permitting the gripper to open underthe action of its spring 101. This occurs before the gripper reaches the end of its back stroke, that is to say the stroke away from the envelope magazine.

To close the gripper quickly upon the next envelope when the gripper carriage is in its forward osition, nearest the magaz ne, a striker 12 is mounted slidably on the frame tened to make-the adjustment 1 opened position.

of the machine to coact with an arm 128 on the op site end of the rock-shaft 123 (Fig. 10). is striker is actuated at the proper time by a' projection or roller 129 on one side of the cam member 109. This projection, once in each revolution of the shaft 78, strikes a portion 130 of a lever 131 which is fulcrumed on the fixed frame at 132 and is connected by a link 133 with thestriker 127. This action occurs when the gripper has completed its forward stroke,

and results in turning the cams'122 so as to close the gripper and lock it.

In order to insure that the forward edge of the envelope as it is advanced from the magazine shall enter between the jaws of the gripper, ayielding double-incline 81 is arranged in front of the throat of the envelope magazine in such position that the gripper, as it approaches the end of its forward stroke,

rides onto the incline and depresses it. The

forward slope of the incline deflects the envelope upward so that it may not strike the edge of the lower jaw or pass beneath it; and the depressing of the incline by the gripper as the latter approaches its forward limit of magazine only far enough to bring the flap into engagement with the flap-opener or raiser 9, and the latter is placed close in front of the mouth of the magazine, so that the size of the machineis kept as small as possible. For this reason the flap need not be dragged under the flap-opener so as to turn it all the way back by this instrumentality, but is simply turned up and rests against the back of the element in a partly o ened condition.

It will be noted that this ap-opener is extended as a blade in'the direction of the length of the flap so that it will enter beneath the whole length, or at least the greater part of the length, of the flap of the longest envelope that may be used. In other words, this flapopener is designed to be substantially coextensive with the length of the flap. This is important because a flap may be stuck to the back of the envelope at one point or another, and the horizontally extending flap-opener will break the adhesion wherever it may occur.

When the envelope is carried endwise away from this position by the means that will be described, the flap moves lengthwise in contact with the diagonally disposed flap opening guide 10, which turns the flap back past the vertical to or toward a horizontal, fully This guide is fixed on a bridge bar 134 forming part of the fixed framework.

Inthis movement the envelope is carried to a position opposite the loading platform 11, and there allowed to rest for a moment, the flap of the envelope passing beneath the platform, which is arranged to allow of this,-

mi ht be omitted. he moistener is located beneath the loading platform, that is to say, at the loading station, so"-th at theloading of the envelope and the moistening of its-flap are accomplished virtually in the same operation, or at the same part of themachine.

In the preferred and simple embodiment the-moistener comprises an absorbent pad or sheet ap lied to the under side of the platform, an having its rear portion 136 depending as a wick into a stationarily supported reservoir 137. Yielding spring fingers 138 project from the portion 139 of the fixed deck of the machine adjacent the platform, to support the gummed face of the flap against the wet pad.

The platform is raised in advance of the passage of the flap beneath'it and is lowered when the envelope comes to rest in front of the loading platform, by a cam 140 on the shaft 78, said cam acting upon a roller 141 carried by the platform. The platform is hinged or fulcrumed at the rear, that is to say at its portion adjacent the end of the gatherer 4, as indicated at 142. in such manner that it can be readily lifted out when the moistener requires attention. It is drawn down by a spring 143. v The portion 139 of the. deck in front of the loading platform bears a longitudinal rib or shoulder 144, the function of which is to underlie the front wall of the envelope,

parallel with the fold of the flap, so that the said wall is bent over this shoulder by guide fingers 145 in entering the envelope, whereby the mouth of the envelope is opened sufiiciently to insure that the said fingers will enter and will not ride over the back of the envelope. These fingers will be described more particularly later on.

The empty envelopes are moved to the loading station, and released, and the filled envelopes are moved from this station, and released, by a positive gripper mechanism of advantageous character which will now be described. I

A long slide bar 146 (Figs. 3, 6, 8, and 12-15) is mounted in fixed guides 147 beneath a slot 148 in the deck of the machine extending parallel with the guide 116. lhis slide has a rack 149 on its under side which is en a ed by a large segment gear 150 on a roc sfiiaft 151 journaled in the frame. A pinion 152 fixed on the axis of the segment gear 150 is meshed by the segmental rack end 153 of alever 154, which is fulcrumed at 155 and is rocked by an eccentric 156 on the shaft 58.

The slide carriage 146 carries two grippers 157, 158 spaced apart lengthwise of the slide by a distance somewhat greater than the distance through which the envelopes are translated from the position in front of the envelope magazine to the position at the loading station. These grippers are mounted on brackets 159 rising from the slide, and each has a fixed horizontal lower jaw 160, the upper face of which is approximately even with the plane of the deck whereon the envelope is supported. The lip 161 of each of these jaws is beveled ed as to ride under the envelope. e

r The upper jaw 162 of each of said grippers is pivoted at.163, so that the jaw can be raised to open the gripper and lowered to close it. Springs 164act1upon these jaws to close them.

. Two slides 165, 166 are mounted on the slide carriage 146, in such manner as to be movable lengthwise of the carriage; and each of these slides carries a cam orprojection 167 adapted to pass beneath, and from one side to the other of, a roller 168 carried by a link or thrust member 169 pivoted to the underpart of the movable jaw 162, said link being confined or guided by another link 170 pivoted to the first link and to the bracket 159. When the cam or bump is introduced beneath the roller of the movable jaw, it raises the jaw as seen in Fig. 14, while when the bump is moved to one side or the other of the roller, the jaw is permitted to close.

The slide has a ta-ppet arm 171 projecting laterally therefrom, to encounter alternately two stops 172, 173 set at definite positions on the fixed frame. The position of the stop 172 is such that it is encountered by the arm 171 just as the gripper approaches the end of its stroke nearest the envelope magazine. This stopsthe motion of the slide 165, while the carriage146 proceeds somewhat farther, with the result that the cam 167 passes beneath the roller 168 and opens the gripper in time for its jaws to pass above and below the forward end of the waiting empty envelope. At the end of the stroke, the cam passes out from under the roller, or actually, the roller passes off the cam, so that the gripper closes tight upon the envelope. Now, when the carriage 146'm0ves in the reverse direction, it drags the envelope along the deck to the loading station. Somewhat before the end of this stroke, the arm 171 strikes the stop 173, which again holds the slide 165 stationary relatively to the still moving carriage. The cam is. consequently brought under the roller, opening the ipper and re leasing the envelope; and t en as the cam passes to the other side of thearoller, the

gripper closes so that on the stroke in theopposite direction it may pass under the envelope left at the loading station. The lip of i the upper jaw is beveled in the same manner roller so as to momentarily open and then close the gripper, causing it to seize. the end of the envelope at the loading station, this envelope being now loaded. The carriage 146 then moves in the opposite direction,

dragging the loaded envelo away from the loading station to the stac er 13 and toward the end of this movement the arm 174 strikes the stop 176, again momentarilyopening the gripper to release theenvelop'e,

then closing the gripper so that it may pass' back under the envelope.

A gauge or abutment 177 (Figs. 1 and 3). movable into and out of the path of the envelopes at the loadingstation, is provided to prevent overthrow of'the empty envelope by momentum when it is released by the gripper. This gauge is positioned to stop the envelope of whatever size in proper relation tothe gatherer and loader, which will be described presently; and it must be mounted and operated so as to be interposed at the proper moment to perform its function, and

.to be moved out of the way in time to permit the loaded envelope to be drawn onward to the receiving stack. This may be accomplished in specifically different ways; but

the use\of a mechanically operated movable" loadingplatform and sealer 11, such as described, makes it possible to place such a stop on this platform, to be moved up and down by and with such platform. The gauge is accordingly formed or fixed on the forward corner of said platform which is more remote from the envelope magazine, the gauge pro-" jecting forwardly and downwardly so as to project into the path of the envelope and to enter an opening 178 in the deck when the platform is lowered.

The gatherer will now be described. The gathering table extends across the fronts of the enclosure magazines to the loading platform, which constitutes the terminal portion of this table. The enclosures are shot across the table by the rollers 27, 28 revolving at high speed, up to a longitudinally extending gauge guide 179. Rebound from this guide is prevented by springs 180 associated with the gauge and resting with light pressure on the table so that the sheet matter passes readily'beneath them and is held frictionally a ainst the rebound. The table faces upwar 1y, as previously stated, but is preferably sloped transversely -downward ,away from the 'enclosure.magazines toward the gauge guide 179, in order to aid the delivery cessive enclosures are delivered from the magazines upon the enclosures already on the ga erer, successive collections are made and delivered to the loading platform 11.

It should be stated that this platform has a guide 181 in line with the guide 179. The envelope gauge stop 177 heretofore referred to is substantially in line with this guide, though somewhat offset from it, since the end of the envelope should naturally be somewhat beyond the guide.

The mechanism for translating the enclosures on-the gatherer is of a reciprocatory character. It comprises transverse sets of fingers 182, which are moved back and forth lengthwise of the gatherer, there being' as many of these sets of fingers or pushers as there are enclosure magazines, and the stroke being such as to carry enclosures. from a position in front of one magazine to a position in front of the next magazine.

The pusher fingers are shown attached to transverse rock-shafts 183, which extend over the gatherer table, though this may be varied. The rock-shafts are shown turnably mounted at one end in brackets 184' on a slide 185 gpided in the fixed frame for movement para el with the length of the gatherer, and

at their opposite ends they are supported by a track'186, the shafts having rollers at these ends to roll on the track.

The slide is reciprocated in proper time by mechanism seen in Fig 4. A double'cam 187 on the shaft 58 rocks one end of a lever 188, having at its opposite end a rack segment 189 which meshes a pinion 190. This pinion is united with a bevel gear segment 191 which meshes a pinion 192 on a rotary shaft 193 which carries a pinion 194, this last pinion meshing a rack 195 on the slide 185.

The pushers 182 mustbe moved out of the way of the enclosures on the back strokes, and be repositioned for pushing before or at the commencement of the next forward stroke. This is accomplishedby-means of a stationary track or cam 19.62 011 the fixed frame, cooperating with a-revers'ing arm-191 carried by the reciprocating part of the 

